Conspiracy?
by SlideshowRemote
Summary: Kagome spends Halloween home alone. What she thinks is a night of strange events and mild adventure turns out to be something much more, and she doesn't know if she can handle all the action, especially with a cranky Hanyou on her back all the while.


A/N: Yup, it's a new story. Not my first (it's my first on though), but definitely my favorite so far. Started writing it the day after Halloween and I just couldn't stop. So, here's chapter one, hope you all like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. But I'm working on buying Rumiko Takahashi. She's so expensive, though, and her sellers won't go lower than 20. Damned salespeople…

* * *

Halloween had finally come. All the talking, rambling, and excitement from Souta; it would all finally end tonight. After everything Kagome had to put up with since the day after Halloween last year and the year before and so on, it would finally be over for one whole year once again.

Kagome didn't know if she could contain herself, and her excitement for tomorrow never got old.

She was currently helping her mother carve a large, orange pumpkin out on the back deck.

"Tomorrow will be a new day, free of endless decorating and pointless costume shopping." Kagome said, more or less to herself. Her mother couldn't help but giggle at her daughter for sounding so Grinch'y (ok yeah the Grinch is for Christmas but what the hey).

"Mom, it's almost seven o'clock, we got to go!" She heard Souta yell from the bedroom window above her. "I'll be up in one minuet, we're nearly done!" Her mother called back cheerfully. Kagome had always wondered how she could find Halloween night such a nuisance, and yet her mother always seemed to have the time of her life?

"I think I got the eyes right this time," Kagome said, trying to match her mother's cheerfulness. "It really is starting to get late, you and Souta should be leaving now."

"Yes, I think I agree with you," she replied. "Souta! Get your coat, we're going trick or treating now!" She turned to Kagome. "Are you sure you're not coming with us this year?"

Kagome mentally groaned. What was this, the eighty-second time she'd asked that since the first day of the month?

"No, I'm fine. Don't worry about it, I just wanna watch a scary movie or something tonight," she said with a smile.

She made her way inside to wash her hands off in the kitchen. Her mother followed her inside and copied Kagome's actions. "Alright, dear. If you're sure…"

As Kagome continued to wash her slimy, orange fingers in the sink, she pondered as to what she _would_ be doing tonight. Her friend Rin was having a costume party, but partying wasn't really Kagome's thing. And plus, she didn't have a costume.

There was always Sango's annual card readings and Ghost story-telling. Hmm, it was a possibility; Kagome found spirits and ghosts rather interesting. She'd have to think about going to that this year.

She toweled her hands dry and lazily made her way to the living room. As she dropped onto the couch like an atomic bomb, her mother walked by behind her in the hallway. Souta came down to meet her.

He was wearing his yearly costume: a flat, black cap, two thick, black lines under his eyes, a dark green T-shirt underneath an even darker green vest, followed by baggy camouflage trousers, and last but not least, a pair of shiny black lace-up boots. He looked slightly humorous with a large grin spread across his face. "Let's get going then!" he saluted his mother and Kagome before marching out the front door.

"We'll be back in a few hours, Kagome. Take care of the house. Oh! And if this number calls," she took out a piece of paper and passed it to Kagome, "then pick up, because it's Grandpa. He went to his friend's costume party a few hours ago, but he should get back before we do." Kagome laughed out loud. "What did he go as?" she asked while tilting her head and balancing it on her left hand.

Her mother smiled. "Buyo."

Kagome shook her head laughing as her mother exited the house, laughing as well. We'll see you in a while, dear! And don't forget to check the Shrine doors before you go to bed!"

"See you, mom."

The door closed, and everything was silent.

Kagome listened as her trick or treating family members got into the car and went on their way. She sighed heavily. What to do, what to do…

'_Oh! I should give Sango a call and see what's going on tonight at the card reading…ghost…um…thing.' _She thought.

She pulled herself up off the couch and ran upstairs to her room.

As she entered, the clean, fresh scent of Febreeze surrounded her. The young woman breathed in through her nose and inhaled as she walked to her desk.

Gotta love Febreeze!

She picked up the phone and dialed the number.

"_Riiiing-_Hello?"

"Hi, is Sango there?"

"Yes, just one moment-SANGOOOO!"

Kagome pulled the phone violently away from her head. She guessed Sango's mom was visiting her today, because _that_ never happened before.

A few rustles and bangs later, Sango picked up.

"Hey!"

"Hey, Sango. It's Kagome."

"Hey! How are you, Kagome?"

"Fine, thanks. I just called to tell you that I'm on my way to your…thing, so I'll bring you back the book you loaned me-"

"Oh, god, sorry Kagome, it got canceled."

Kagome felt a hint of disappointment sink into her stomach.

"Oh, well that's alright. What happened, anyway?"

"I dunno, my mom is just paranoid cause some guy broke out of prison last week and hasn't been caught yet. So somehow she managed to convince dad that bringing a large group of teenagers to one contained area would be a 'danger to their safety,'" Kagome could practically feel Sango's hands make the quotation signs. " So yeah, no Seance tonight. Really sorry-"

"Don't even worry about it, Sango, it's no biggie. Hopefully next year, eh?"

They wrapped up the conversation, and made plans for tomorrow before they bid each other farewell and hung up.

So much for that plan.

"Well I guess that leaves watching a scary movie." Kagome said before she sighed heavily once more. She thought she was crazy for thinking it, but maybe next year, she would join her mother and brother trick or treating.

"I really _must_ be crazy, then." Kagome shook her head at herself as she moved over to her bookcase of movies and bent down to take a look. So many to choose from:

Night of the Living Dead, Pitch Black, The Blaire Witch Project, The Little Mermaid…

"I think this will do." She said as she filed out 'Pitch Black'. As she straightened back up, her eyes met the window. It was pretty dark now, she thought perhaps she should lock the shrines now before it got too dark and spooky out there.

The movie was swiftly tossed onto her bed as she exited her bedroom. She grabbed her coat from the chair by the front door before slipping it on and sliding open the door. A bolt of shivers struck through her as the cold night-air chilled her to her core, but the Shrine doors needed to be locked. Kagome stepped out onto the deck and slid the door shut behind her with a sharp tap. The wind was freezing. And it didn't help that a large amount of leaves were blowing in her face along with her long raven hair.

She ran quickly over to the South Shrine. The doors rattled and shook against the little wooden building, mixing with the high howls of wind, making the atmosphere even creepier than it needed to be. Besides, Halloween was just as regular a night as any other night.

Right?

Kagome took the key out from within her coat pocket and inserted it through the small silver lock that bonded the door to the front of the shrine. The lock turned and she didn't hear the click-clunk noise it normally made due to the loud howling wind. The girl turned, in a hurry to get inside where it was warm and quiet, but as she turned a glimpse of something dark flashed by in the shadows of the trees.

Kagome's heart was engulfed with flames of fear. But why should she be afraid? It was probably nothing, just a leaf or something. But it must've been one large leaf. Actually, what she'd seen had to be at least as big as her…

Kagome knew she probably had absolutely nothing to be afraid of, but all the same she bolted back towards the house and slammed the door shut behind her before locking it.

She stood there in silence with her back to the door for a few moments, taking a few deep breaths, but she began to feel stupid. "This is so dumb," she said to herself. "It was probably just an animal, or something."

The girl slipped her coat off and jogged back up the stairs to her room. She then resumed putting the scary movie in the dvd player before making herself comfortable in her large, plush, pink bed.

Tonight was off to a hell of a great start.


End file.
